THE WORLD'S GONE MAD

LIFE'S A BITCH, THEN YOU DIE AS THE SAYING GOES... BUT..YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE WHILE YOU ARE HERE ON EARTH. LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD! TELL IT LIKE IT IS. IF YOU SIT BACK AND DO NOTHING, THEN NOTHING WILL EVER CHANGE. MAKE LIFE BETTER FOR THE FUTURE GENERATIONS. LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD.

Sunday, July 12, 2009

POSTPONED ! SPACE SHUTTLE ENDEAVOR & MISSION STS127 TO LIFT-OFF TODAY JULY 12, 2009 AT 7:13 PM

It is official...NO GO FOR LAUNCH TODAY. NASA WILL TRY
6:51:24 PM ON MONDAY.

NO GO FOR LAUNCH AT THE MOMENT DUE TO LIGHTHING IN THE AREA. NASA IS OBSERVING THE SITUATION. KEEP CHECKING BACK HERE FOR UPDATES.

UPDATE:
Launch Team to try Again Monday
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 07:03:07 PM EDT

Endeavour will be readied for another launch attempt Monday with a launch time at 6:51 p.m.

Poor Weather Scrubs Tonight's Launch Attempt
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 07:01:55 PM EDT

"We got the vehicle ready, but the weather didn't cooperate," Launch Director Pete Nickolenko told Endeavour's seven astronauts. Today's launch attempt has been scrubbed.

Runway Weather is Focus of Concern
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 06:47:36 PM EDT

Weather forecasters are monitoring conditions at Kennedy, but right now a launch would not be allowed because of storms within 20 miles of the Shuttle Landing Facility.

Readiness Polls Coming Up
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 06:27:41 PM EDT

Three major polls to clear the way for the last phase of the countdown will be conducted during this hold. The Mission Management Team will give its final readiness approval during this time and then Launch Director Pete Nickolenko will query the Kennedy launch team, mission control in Houston and the astronauts for their readiness before allowing the countdown to resume. Weather remains the primary concern for this evening's launch.

Countdown Enters Last Planned Hold
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 06:17:55 PM EDT

T-9 minutes and holding . . . The countdown has paused as planned for the final time before today's scheduled launch of Endeavour. This hold will last about 45 minutes and can be adjusted to set up the best launch time for the shuttle's liftoff to the International Space Station. The launch team will receive weather updates during the hold, since meteorologists are concerned about storms encroaching the areas around the Shuttle Landing Facilty and Launch Pad 39A.

Countdown Proceeding as Weather Raises Concerns
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 06:13:58 PM EDT

T-13 minutes and counting . . . The launch team is evaluating weather conditions near Launch Pad 39A and the Shuttle Landing Facility after clouds and lightning began building near the locations. The specific concerns are for cumulus clouds and lightning potential closer than 20 miles from the Shuttle Landing Facility. There are also worries that clouds will encroach the 10-mile boundary for the launch pad as well.

Weather Conditions Currently "No-Go"
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 06:03:07 PM EDT

Forecasters at NASA's Spaceflight Meteorology Group say current conditions violate rules for launching Endeavour because of weather near the Shuttle Landing Facility. The runway would be needed in the unlikely event that Endeavour would have to make an emergency landing back at Kennedy. There is also a seabreeze coming off Florida's west coast that is making the weather more dynamic.

Technicians Close Endeavour's Hatch
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 06:01:46 PM EDT

The technicians known collectively as the closeout crew have swung the hatch of Endeavour closed for flight. A series of leak checks will be completed before the workers leave the White Room and the launch pad.

After the technicians leave, the hatch can be opened by the astronauts if there's an emergency at the pad.

Ice Formation Draws Attention
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 06:00:38 PM EDT

The Final Inspection Team found a formation of slushy ice built up on one of the umbilical connections between the launch pad and Endeavour. The ice measured up to four inches at one point, but it has been reducing since then and doesn't appear to pose a threat to launch.The Final Inspection Team found a formation of slushy ice built up on one of the umbilical connections between the launch pad and Endeavour. The ice measured up to four inches at one point, but it has been reducing since then and doesn't appear to pose a threat to launch.

At t minus 9 minutes and holding there are weather problems looming. It the weather clears up launch will go off as Scheduled at 7:13 PM. Check back for pics of the launch if it goes up today. PM.

Endeavour is set to launch the crew of STS-127 and start a 16-day mission that will feature five spacewalks and complete construction of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory.

Room With a View
TV monitors in Firing Room Four at Kennedy's Launch Control Center show Launch Pad 39A with space shuttle Endeavour and the inspection team on the screens.

Runway Weather is Focus of Concern
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 06:47:36 PM EDT

Weather forecasters are monitoring conditions at Kennedy, but right now a launch would not be allowed because of storms within 20 miles of the Shuttle Landing Facility.

Readiness Polls Coming Up
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 06:27:41 PM EDT

Three major polls to clear the way for the last phase of the countdown will be conducted during this hold. The Mission Management Team will give its final readiness approval during this time and then Launch Director Pete Nickolenko will query the Kennedy launch team, mission control in Houston and the astronauts for their readiness before allowing the countdown to resume. Weather remains the primary concern for this evening's launch.

Countdown Enters Last Planned Hold
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 06:17:55 PM EDT

T-9 minutes and holding . . . The countdown has paused as planned for the final time before today's scheduled launch of Endeavour. This hold will last about 45 minutes and can be adjusted to set up the best launch time for the shuttle's liftoff to the International Space Station. The launch team will receive weather updates during the hold, since meteorologists are concerned about storms encroaching the areas around the Shuttle Landing Facilty and Launch Pad 39A.

Countdown Proceeding as Weather Raises Concerns
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 06:13:58 PM EDT

T-13 minutes and counting . . . The launch team is evaluating weather conditions near Launch Pad 39A and the Shuttle Landing Facility after clouds and lightning began building near the locations. The specific concerns are for cumulus clouds and lightning potential closer than 20 miles from the Shuttle Landing Facility. There are also worries that clouds will encroach the 10-mile boundary for the launch pad as well.

Weather Conditions Currently "No-Go"
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 06:03:07 PM EDT

Forecasters at NASA's Spaceflight Meteorology Group say current conditions violate rules for launching Endeavour because of weather near the Shuttle Landing Facility. The runway would be needed in the unlikely event that Endeavour would have to make an emergency landing back at Kennedy. There is also a seabreeze coming off Florida's west coast that is making the weather more dynamic.

Technicians Close Endeavour's Hatch
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 06:01:46 PM EDT

The technicians known collectively as the closeout crew have swung the hatch of Endeavour closed for flight. A series of leak checks will be completed before the workers leave the White Room and the launch pad.

After the technicians leave, the hatch can be opened by the astronauts if there's an emergency at the pad.

Ice Formation Draws Attention
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 06:00:38 PM EDT

The Final Inspection Team found a formation of slushy ice built up on one of the umbilical connections between the launch pad and Endeavour. The ice measured up to four inches at one point, but it has been reducing since then and doesn't appear to pose a threat to launch.The Final Inspection Team found a formation of slushy ice built up on one of the umbilical connections between the launch pad and Endeavour. The ice measured up to four inches at one point, but it has been reducing since then and doesn't appear to pose a threat to launch.

Crew All Aboard; Hatch Closed for Flight
The seven astronauts set to carry out the STS-127 mission are all aboard space shuttle Endeavour, awaiting launch at 7:13 p.m. EDT. The launch countdown continues on schedule this afternoon at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Endeavour's crew module hatch has been closed and locked and the closeout crew is preparing to leave the White Room at Launch Pad 39A.

The 16-day mission will feature five spacewalks and complete construction of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory. Astronauts will attach a platform to the outside of the Japanese module that will allow experiments to be exposed to space.

The STS-127 crew members are Commander Mark Polansky, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialists Dave Wolf, Christopher Cassidy, Tom Marshburn, Tim Kopra and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Julie Payette. Kopra will join the space station crew and replace Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata. Wakata will return to Earth on Endeavour to conclude a three-month stay at the station.

Radio Checks Under Way
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 04:48:49 PM EDT

The astronauts are taking turns making sure their communications systems work. They follow a routine so that each crew member’s microphone and headset is tested in short conversations with the launch team here at Kennedy and mission control in Houston. Everything is working fine.

The weather continues to look good for launch time as we get within 2 1/2 hours from launch at 7:13 p.m.

With Payette Aboard, Crew is in Place
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 04:43:19 PM EDT

As flight engineer, Julie Payette will sit on the flight deck in a seat behind and between Polansky and Hurley for launch and landing. She will call important milestones to the crew as they launch into orbit and perform other tasks critical during ascent.

Payette is a Canadian astronaut who has flown once before. When she reaches orbit, it will be the first time two Canadians have been in space at the same time. The other Canadian in orbit is Robert Thirsk, currently a resident on the International Space Station.

Aside from her space interests, Payette is an accomplished singer and pianist. She even sang with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra.

Wolf on Board Endeavour
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 04:32:26 PM EDT

Astronaut Dave Wolf has crawled into the shuttle and is working himself into the middle seat on the lower level of the crew compartment. While Wolf may not have the best view during launch, he will get some of the greatest views of the entire mission during the three spacewalks he is set to lead. He has made four spacewalks during his previous flights, including an emergency spacewalk on the Russian space station Mir. He has spent 23 hours walking in space during his career.

You could also call him Dr. Wolf, since he is a medical doctor. His medical expertise was first put to use for NASA in designing an echocardiograph that would work in space to study the human cardiovascular system. One of Wolf’s hobbies is flying aerobatic competitions in his own experimental biplane.

SEALs Can Fly, Too
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 04:19:02 PM EDT

If Christopher Cassidy didn’t exist, Hollywood would invent him. Before joining NASA, Cassidy served 10 years in the U.S Navy’s elite SEAL teams. The special operations teams get their name because they operate in the sea, air and on land. Many know of the SEALs because of the infamous “Hell Week” training that works SEAL candidates day and night with almost no rest. Cassidy’s missions took him into the Afghanistan region two weeks after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. He also paddled a kayak 180 miles from Norfolk, Va., to Washington, D.C., to benefit the Special Operations Warrior Foundation.

Cassidy is the second NASA astronaut to come from the SEAL ranks. The first was Bill Shepherd, first commander of the International Space Station. Cassidy will sit on the flight deck behind Pilot Doug Hurley for launch, and will make three spacewalks during the mission.

Marshburn Aboard
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 04:10:15 PM EDT

Tom Marshburn stepped into Endeavour and is maneuvering into position in his seat on the middeck closest to the hatch. If there is an emergency that calls for the crew to bail out, he will work the hatch and escape pole so the astronauts can get out safely.

Like Dave Wolf, Marshburn is a medical doctor. Marshburn started at NASA as a flight surgeon and worked closely with astronauts as they trained in Star City, Russia, for missions aboard the space station Mir and later the International Space Station.

Marshburn and Christopher Cassidy are part of the astronaut class of 2004.

Hurley Straps in for First Launch
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 04:02:14 PM EDT

Doug Hurley is a veteran U.S. Marine Corps test pilot, but has never flown in space before. As the STS-127 pilot, he will sit in the right-hand seat of Endeavour, which is set up identically to the commander’s station. He can fly the shuttle from his seat if he has to, which is something shuttle pilots train for routinely leading up to launch.

Kopra Takes His Place on Endeavour
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 03:54:10 PM EDT

Tim Kopra is getting strapped into the seat farthest away from the hatch on the lower level of Endeavour’s crew compartment. He is making his first flight into space, and it will be longer than usual since he is to live aboard the International Space Station, taking the place of Japan’s Koichi Wakata, who flew to the station as part of the STS-119 crew in March.

Kopra will make the first spacewalk of the STS-127 mission when he joins Dave Wolf to prepare the Exposed Facility before it is moved to the outside of the Kibo laboratory complex on the station.

Polansky Takes Commander's Seat
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 03:50:14 PM EDT

STS-127 mission Commander Mark Polansky has made his way into Endeavour and pulled himself into the left-hand seat on the flight deck. It’s an awkward transition for each of the astronauts because the shuttle is standing nose-up, so the crew members have to lift their legs above their heads to get into their seats. They have temporary straps to help, and they train extensively to get into place without tripping any of the switches and controls in the cockpit.

Polansky flew fighters in the U.S. Air Force before joining NASA as a research pilot. His call sign is "Roman," a play on his last name, which sounds like that of the Oscar-winning director Roman Polanski.

Polansky first went into space as pilot of STS-98 in 2001. That mission delivered NASA’s Destiny laboratory to the International Space Station. On his second flight, Polansky commanded STS-116 to deliver a truss segment to the station.

Final Inspection Team Leaves Pad
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 03:49:59 PM EDT

With their intensive inspection routine complete, the final inspection team is leaving Launch Complex 39A. The only people there will be the astronauts and the closeout crew.

Astronauts Reach Launch Pad
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 03:42:40 PM EDT

The crew members of STS-127 are climbing out of the Astrovan and making their way to the elevator at the launch pad. They will go to the orbiter access arm that reaches out to Endeavour's hatch.

A Space-Age Experiments Platform
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 03:32:01 PM EDT

Endeavour’s main purpose during STS-127 is to install the last element of Japan’s Kibo laboratory at the International Space Station. It is called the Exposed Facility and it is a 4.1-ton platform with power sources and other equipment to operate experiments that study space from the outside of the station, where astronauts cannot venture except with spacewalking gear. It will be attached to one end of Kibo’s Pressurized Module. A robotic arm on the outside of the lab will let astronauts inside the station move experiments on the platform.

The Kibo complex has taken three shuttle missions to complete.

The shuttle also carries the Experiment Logistics Module – Exposed Section, which is designed to hold experiment and equipment packages that will be placed on the Exposed Facility. The Exposed Section will be mounted on Kibo for a few days, but will return with Endeavour. It is holding two experiments and one piece of equipment for Kibo during this trip.

Astrovan Heads to Launch Pad
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 03:24:24 PM EDT

The astronauts are on the way to Launch Pad 39A and the waiting Endeavour. The crew of six men and one woman are sitting inside the Astrovan, which is actually a modified Airstream motor home. It has been used to carry shuttle crews since 1984. The vehicle’s interior is rather large for seven people, until you recall that each of those seven is wearing a bulky launch-and-entry suit.

Cheryl Mansfield, one of the Web writers here, penned a story about the Astrovan last summer. Just paste this address into your browser to read it: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/behindscenes/astrovan.html Then make sure to come back to the Launch Blog for the rest of today's countdown.

Countdown Resumes
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 03:18:20 PM EDT

T-3 hours and counting . . . Launch controllers have restarted the countdown clock on time for a launch at 7:13 p.m.

Astronauts Begin Suiting Up
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 03:00:43 PM EDT

The crew of STS-127 is working with a team of expert technicians in the Operations and Checkout Building here at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center to get into their launch-and-entry suits. The familiar orange attire is a partial pressure suit designed to protect astronauts in case of an emergency during ascent. An inner layer that looks a lot like thermal underwear is woven with thin plastic lines which circulate water to keep the astronaut cool inside the bulky outer layer of the suit.

The suit-up process includes a thorough leak check to make sure the helmet, gloves, boots and connections are all sealed properly. When the astronauts are ready, they’ll head out of the building and get into the Astrovan for a lift to Launch Pad 39A.

Labels: space shuttle, SPACE SHUTTLE ENDEAVOR, SPACE SHUTTLE ENDEAVOR TO LIFTOFF JULY 12 2009

POSTPONED ! SPACE SHUTTLE ENDEAVOR & MISSION STS127 TO LIFT-OFF TODAY JULY 12, 2009 AT 7:13 PM

It is official...NO GO FOR LAUNCH TODAY. NASA WILL TRY
6:51:24 PM ON MONDAY.

Image above: Storm clouds roll in over the NASA Vehicle Assembly building and Launch Control Center moments after Space Shuttle Launch Director Pete Nickolenko called the launch a "No Go" due to weather conditions.NO GO FOR LAUNCH AT THE MOMENT DUE TO LIGHTHING IN THE AREA. NASA IS OBSERVING THE SITUATION. KEEP CHECKING BACK HERE FOR UPDATES.

Endeavour Launch Now Scheduled for July 13
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 07:46:24 PM EDT

Space shuttle Endeavour's STS-127 launch now is scheduled for July 13 at
6:51 p.m. EDT.

Officials at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida called off Sunday's planned liftoff due to inclement weather. Cumulus clouds and lightning violated rules for launching Endeavour because of weather near the Shuttle Landing Facility. The runway would be needed in the unlikely event that Endeavour would have to make an emergency landing back at Kennedy.

The STS-127 astronauts left Launch Pad 39A at about 8:35 p.m. EDT to return to crew quarters at Kennedy's Operations & Checkout Building for the night.

Monday's live countdown coverage will begin at 1:30 p.m on NASA Television and NASA's Launch Blog.

After 3 delays, two to do with leaks back in June, and yesterday due to rain and lighting strikes in the area on Friday that needed to be throughly checked out, Endeavor is scheduled to launch @ 7:13 PM tonight.

AT MINUS 3 HOURS AND HOLDING THE SPACE SHUTTLE ENDEAVOR AND MISSION STS-127 IS FUELED AND READY FOR THE ASTRONAUTS TO BOARD IN A LITTLE WHILE FOR ITS MISSION TO THE SPACE STATION.
It will install a FRONT PORCH so to speak for experiments in the future. See picture below.

If not rain comes within 23 miles of the shuttle it will lift off today at 7:13 PM from pad 39-A.

Check back later for more info and pictures in another post.

STS-127 Launch Blog

Join Launch Blogger Steven Siceloff as NASA counts down toward the launch of space shuttle Endeavour and its seven astronauts on a mission to the International Space Station. The blog will follow all the critical milestones leading up to liftoff, including the crucial filling of the external tank. The astronauts' suit-up and drive to the launch pad at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida also will be covered. Launch is scheduled for 7:13 p.m.

The blog originates from Firing Room 3 in the Launch Control Center at Kennedy, where a veteran team of engineers and managers watches every detail as Endeavour is fueled and readied for its 8 1/2-minute climb into space.

NOTE: All times are posted in Eastern.

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/launch/launch_blog.html
Weather Briefing Under Way
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 02:47:43 PM EDT

STS-127 commander Mark Polansky and his crew are getting a rundown of weather conditions at Kennedy and what the conditions are expected to be at launch time. As can be expected, the weather is dynamic this afternoon. The atmospheric conditions have not violated limits to this point and there are no technical issues, either. The launch remains on schedule for 7:13 p.m.

An International Crew of Veterans and First-time Fliers
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 02:22:17 PM EDT

Two-time shuttle astronaut Mark Polansky will command the STS-127 mission, with first-time flier Doug Hurley serving as pilot. Dave Wolf is the most experienced member of the crew, having flown three times already, including a 128-day stay aboard the Russian space station Mir. Canada’s Julie Payette flew before on the STS-96 mission in 1999, and will perform much of the shuttle’s robotic arm work required during STS-127.

Christopher Cassidy, Tom Marshburn and Tim Kopra are each making their first flights. The three and Wolf will perform spacewalks during the mission. Kopra will stay on the International Space Station taking the place of Japan’s Koichi Wakata, who will return to Earth with Endeavour.

The astronauts will begin getting into their launch-and-entry suits just before 3 p.m. and then head out to the launch pad.

Final Inspection Team Surveying Endeavour
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 02:04:11 PM EDT

The Final Inspection Team is using binoculars and temperature scanners to search for signs of ice, debris or damage on the outside of Endeavour. The team, not to be confused with the closeout crew, does not venture inside the shuttle during its work, but spends about two hours scanning the shuttle stack from the outside while standing at different points on the launch tower and mobile launcher.

It may seem odd to talk about ice in Florida during the summer, but the propellants inside the external tank are hundreds of degrees below zero, so the water in the air can condense on the tank and freeze.

Here is a link to a feature written about the team by Web writer Cheryl Mansfield:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/behindscenes/ice_team.html

Polansky's Insight
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 01:53:02 PM EDT

STS-127 Commander Mark Polansky reported on his Twitter feed that the crew had its final meeting before launch. During the next hour, the astronauts will get their last weather briefing and then they will get into the pressure suits. The countdown is in its planned hold at the T-3 hour mark. The clock should begin ticking backward again at 3:18 p.m. Launch preparations remain on target for a launch at 7:13 p.m.

Closeout Crew Working at Endeavour
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 01:32:25 PM EDT

The team of technicians that straps the astronauts into the shuttle is already at Launch Pad 39A setting up Endeavour for its crew. They are called the closeout crew, and, just like the astronauts, they are well-practiced in the art of moving around the shuttle’s cockpit when it is standing on its tail. They know where to step, what not to touch and which things to take with them when they leave the shuttle and launch pad.

The astronauts will start boarding Endeavour at about 3:53 p.m.

Endeavour Fueled for Flight
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 12:53:18 PM EDT

The large burnt-orange external fuel tank for Endeavour has been filled with about 535,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. Endeavour’s three main engines will consume the fuel and oxygen during the 8 1/2-minute climb to orbit. The launch pad's pump system will trickle in just enough fresh propellants to replace what evaporates during the countdown.

Countdown in Planned Hold
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 12:49:07 PM EDT

At T-3 hours and holding, everything is on schedule for the launch of Endeavour this evening at 7:13 p.m. The countdown is to resume in 2 1/2 hours.

Hydrogen Tank Filled
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 12:27:28 PM EDT

Endeavour has been loaded with its allotment of liquid hydrogen and pumps are now set to put in just enough new fuel to replace the amount that evaporates during the countdown. The Ground Umbilical Carrier Plate is not showing any signs of leaking. The vent system is moving evaporating hydrogen away from Endeavour and to a flare stack where the excess gas is safely burned off.

No Leaks Spotted at Carrier Plate
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 12:00:52 PM EDT

The early looks at the Ground Umbilical Carrier Plate show no signs of a leak like those that scrubbed two previous launch tries for Endeavour. Realignments to the plate were successfully tested July 1, but engineers will watch the readings closely during today's countdown nonetheless.

Carrier Plate Under Close Watch
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 11:50:50 AM EDT

Now that the external tank has been filled with more than 98 percent of its allotment of liquid hydrogen, engineers will keep a close eye on the readings from the Ground Umbilical Carrier Plate that was blamed for leaks which prompted two previous launch attempts by Endeavour to be scrubbed. The device is on the side of the external tank and is basically a connecting point between the tank and a pipe from the launch tower. The venting system is designed to safely funnel evaporating hydrogen away from the shuttle during the countdown. The tanking system is moving to stable replenish mode, which will put just enough fuel into the tank to replace the amount that evaporates during the countdown.

535,000 Gallons
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 11:33:29 AM EDT

The external tank holds more than twice as much liquid hydrogen as liquid oxygen. Endeavour will carry about 390,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen and about 145,000 gallons of liquid oxygen in its external tank. The engines burn the propellants extremely fast, meaning that the tank will weigh less and less as the engines burn. Endeavour's orbital speed will be about 17,500 mph when its engines turn off 8 1/2 minutes after liftoff and the tank is jettisoned back to Earth.

Weather Outlook Improves over Yesterday
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 11:08:32 AM EDT

Today’s weather forecast is quite a bit more optimistic than yesterday’s. The outlook calls for a 70 percent chance of acceptable conditions at launch time. Meteorologists are mainly concerned about the potential for thunderstorms within the 20-mile limit of the Shuttle Landing Facility. The launch team is not working any technical issues with Endeavour or its systems. Afternoon thunderstorms are common this time of year here in Florida, so the weather specialists hope that if any poor weather develops today, it will pass before it is time for Endeavour to head into space at 7:13 p.m.

Liquid Hydrogen in Fast-fill Mode
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 11:03:48 AM EDT

T-4 hours, 44 minutes and counting . . . The liquid hydrogen is in the fast-fill mode. The slow-fill process went quicker than expected, and controllers began fast-fill of the hydrogen tank at 10:37 this morning. The pumping system for the hydrogen is not mechanical, but turns a small portion of hydrogen into gas to pressurize the pipes and push the slushy liquid hydrogen through the lines.

Oxygen Pumps Move to Fast-fill
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 10:40:51 AM EDT

Liquid oxygen pumps are now filling the external tank at a faster pace, as the loading plan calls for.

Liquid Oxygen Begins Slowly Filling into Tank
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 10:29:12 AM EDT

Liquid oxygen is being pumped into the top of the external tank as liquid hydrogen continues flowing into the bottom portion of the tank. Endeavour's three main engines use more hydrogen than oxygen during ascent. Looking at the external tank, the portion below the ribbed section is the hydrogen tank and the area above is the oxygen tank. The ridged portion is a connector between the two and is called the intertank.

For a Look at the Mission Ahead
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 10:16:08 AM EDT

The Webcast for STS-127 is at
http://anon.nasa-global.edgesuite.net/anon.nasa-global/ksc/ksc_060909_sts127_webcast.asx
if you want a glimpse at the flight.

Astronauts Awake, Prepping for Launch
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 10:04:00 AM EDT

The seven astronauts who will fly Endeavour to the International Space Station are awake and have had breakfast. They are relaxing in the Astronaut Crew Quarters where commander Mark "Roman" Polansky reports on his Twitter feed that they are watching the Tour de France now. They will eat lunch just before 1 p.m. and will begin suiting up before 3 p.m.

Fuel Flowing into Tank
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 10:00:36 AM EDT

The pumps out at Launch Complex 39A are moving liquid hydrogen into Endeavour's external tank now. The process begins with a slow-fill into the tank and then the speed will increase. The process is on schedule for launch at 7:13 p.m. It will take three hours to completely load the tank with the cryogenic propellants.

Chilldown Under Way
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 09:49:02 AM EDT

T-6 hours and counting . . . The fueling of Endeavour's external tank began on time with the chilldown of the system. The super-cold propellants will soon begin flowing quickly into the tank shortly. At launch, turbopumps on Endeavour's three main engines will pull the chemicals out of the tank and into the engines where they will be mixed and ignited in a careful but dynamic process. Each of the main engines will produce about 500,000 pounds of thrust at liftoff and throughout the climb into space. The solid rocket boosters provide another 6.5 million pounds of thrust to lift Endeavour off the launch pad.

Chilldown to Start Soon
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 09:38:50 AM EDT

The team here in the Launch Control Center is readying the complex system of pipes and valves at Launch Complex 39A that will pump half a million gallons of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen into Endeavour’s external tank. The process is slated to begin at 9:48 a.m. with “chilldown” of the lines that run from storage tanks to Endeavour and the external tank. The hydrogen and oxygen require the chilldown procedure because both propellants are super-cold. The liquid hydrogen is minus 423 degrees and the oxygen is at minus 297 degrees. The countdown is in a planned hold at T-6 hours. It will pick up again when the fueling operations start.

Launch Day!
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 09:29:30 AM EDT

Good morning and welcome to NASA’s Launch Blog for the STS-127 mission! Space shuttle Endeavour is scheduled to power off Launch Pad 39A at 7:13 p.m. on a flight to the International Space Station. Sitting safely inside Endeavour’s payload bay is the last piece of the Japanese space lab complex Kibo, which means hope. Called the Exposed Facility, the segment is a sophisticated platform that will be a home for experiments that will work in the vacuum of space.

Endeavour Gets "Go" for Fueling
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 09:14:29 AM EDT

The Mission Management Team has cleared the launch team here at Kennedy to begin loading liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen into Endeavour's external tank beginning at 9:48 a.m. The NASA Launch Blog will begin live coverage of the countdown at 9:30 a.m. Liftoff is scheduled for 7:13 p.m.

Mission Management Team Discusses Testing
Sun, 12 Jul 2009 09:10:41 AM EDT

The Mission Management Team is meeting at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center this morning to review the condition of space shuttle Endeavour following Friday’s lightning strikes at Launch Pad 39A. Engineers have been retesting systems in the Endeavour stack to be sure they are ready to go. We will begin our blog coverage of the countdown following the MMT’s decision whether to go ahead with the fueling of Endeavour’s 500,000-gallon capacity external tank. Launch time today is 7:13 p.m.

Labels: 2009 AT 7:13PM, ENDEAVOR SCRUBBED AGAIN JULY 13, SPACE SHUTTLE ENDEAVOR, SPACE SHUTTLE ENDEAVOR AND MISSION STS127 TO LIFT-OFF TODAY JULY 12, SPACE SHUTTLE ENDEAVOR TO LIFTOFF JULY 12 2009